The present invention relates to devices for lifting motorcycles and holding them in an elevated position for cleaning or other maintenance.
Unlike automobiles much of the maintenance of a motorcycle is performed by the owner in a home garage, for instance. However, unlike a bicycle, a motorcycle can weigh hundreds of pounds and cannot be easily lifted without specially designed equipment.
Various systems have been invented to aid in the process of lifting a motorcycle. A system using a crank to rotate a lifting bar in shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,067. However this system is not easily operated or stored.
Another type lifting system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,764, where a lifting mechanism is permanently mounted on the bike. Operation requires leaning the cycle to get it into an elevated position.
Yet another type of device uses the forward momentum of the bike to actuate a lifting mechanism as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,878.
Other devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,723,756 and 5,927,689.
However, none of these devices have the ease of operation and storage which are features exhibited by the device of the present invention. The lift and stand apparatus of the present invention can lift a heavy motorcycle with ease, move it into an elevated position with both wheels off the ground, and hold it in that position with the stability required for normal maintenance.
According to the invention, a motorcycle lift and stand apparatus comprises a cycle support surface formed of two cylinders held apart in parallel relationship to each other. Two upright support units are used to raise and lower the support surface from a ground plane to engage the underside of a motorcycle.
The upright support units each have a bearing cylinder which is rotatably mounted within the two cylinders of the cycle support surface. A retention bracket ties the two upright support units together and restricts their pivotal movement so that the raising of one of those units effective simultaneously raises the other. As the two upright support units pivot to an upright position, they carry the cycle support surface upwardly substantially horizontally to engage the motorcycle. This action is accomplished by the use of a lever arm attached to one of the upright support units. By forcing the lever arm downwardly to ground level, the cycle is lifted and simultaneously moved rearwardly toward the lever arm. When the arm is in the rest position, the upright support units have moved past the vertical position to form an angle of less than 90 degrees with the ground plane. This over center action allows the weight of the cycle to bear on the lever arm, which in turn is rested on the ground plane, providing the required stability to the cycle and stand. The lever arm is rotatably attached, and the entire apparatus can be collapsed into a storage position requiring minimal storage space.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a motorcycle lift and stand apparatus which is simple in design and which can readily and easily lift a heavy motorcycle and maintain it in a stable elevated position for maintenance or other purposes.
It is another object of this invention to provide a motorcycle lift and stand apparatus which is capable of lifting both wheels of a motorcycle simultaneously off a ground plane and supporting the entire cycle in an elevated and stable position for maintenance.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a motorcycle lift and stand apparatus which is simple in construction, manual in operation, low in cost, and efficient to store.